I’ve kited for 14 years and after a brief period of people trying boots and handlepasses that no one in my area rides wakestyle any longer. It seems that nearly everyone including younger riders have moved onto strapless surfing, strapless freestyle, air style or foiling. Has anyone else seen this trend in thier regions? Is wakestyle dead?

Last edited by Osprey1 on Sat Apr 21, 2018 3:02 am, edited 1 time in total.

edt has it right. It’s the most difficult branch of the sport. Most people don’t have the time to progress in it, and the vast majority even if they did would find that there is quickly a level beyond which they cannot progress, and where the risk of injury becomes increasingly high. Anyone who has tried gymnastics will probably have had a similar experience!
All of the other disciplines in the sport are accessible and fun, so naturally us average Joes choose to spend our time doing these - we do do it for fun after all...

edt has it right. It’s the most difficult branch of the sport. Most people don’t have the time to progress in it, and the vast majority even if they did would find that there is quickly a level beyond which they cannot progress, and where the risk of injury becomes increasingly high. Anyone who has tried gymnastics will probably have had a similar experience!
All of the other disciplines in the sport are accessible and fun, so naturally us average Joes choose to spend our time doing these - we do do it for fun after all...

Agreed. I started riding boots to progress with wakestyle, because I lost my board too many times when trying rotations, but I haven't really progressed that much since then. Too much pain...

Last edited by Faxie on Sat Apr 21, 2018 1:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Wakestyle covers just a very narrow bit of what Kitesurfing really can be, and you need specific conditions for it.

I would not say it's the most difficult style in Kitebsurfing, but certainly the most demanding on your body.
Look at me, I'm over 40 now, would consider myself really fit, but my body can't take the punishment of unhooked progression anymore. At a certain age you heal just a bit slower. And that's the moment to move on.
And with strapless surfing, you can push yourself as much as you want on a technical level, it's just so much more flow and less hurt